The Flavin Estate: Latest Bad Guys in the Copyright Wars

NO DANCING WITH THE FLAVIN
A year ago, Artnet News published a light-hearted piece on a music video by former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland, which set the pop star’s gyrations amid florescent light environments, and clearly owed a debt to the work of the late minimalist Dan Flavin [see Artnet News, July 29, 2008]. Well, not everyone thought the reference was so amusing. John Silberman,
of the law firm that represents the Flavin estate, writes to say that
the similarities actually led to legal action -- and that as a
consequence Sony BMG and the production company Partizan Entertainment "have agreed not to make any further use of the video."

And, indeed, it appears that the offending Philip Andelman-directed clip for Rowland’s single Work has been yanked from YouTube and MTV.com (as of this posting, the full video still appears on something called wat.tv,
for those who are interested). According to Silberman, the settlement
also involves monetary damages for the Flavin estate, though of an
undisclosed amount.

NO DANCING WITH THE FLAVIN
A year ago, Artnet News published a light-hearted piece on a music video by former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland, which set the pop star’s gyrations amid florescent light environments, and clearly owed a debt to the work of the late minimalist Dan Flavin [see Artnet News, July 29, 2008]. Well, not everyone thought the reference was so amusing. John Silberman,
of the law firm that represents the Flavin estate, writes to say that
the similarities actually led to legal action -- and that as a
consequence Sony BMG and the production company Partizan Entertainment "have agreed not to make any further use of the video."

And, indeed, it appears that the offending Philip Andelman-directed clip for Rowland’s single Work has been yanked from YouTube and MTV.com (as of this posting, the full video still appears on something called wat.tv,
for those who are interested). According to Silberman, the settlement
also involves monetary damages for the Flavin estate, though of an
undisclosed amount.